Patricia Nalls is the mother of two children—Alana and Shawn—and a grandmother. She’s a vocal community activist, locally, nationally, and globally for the human rights of women, girls and their families, especially those living with and at risk for HIV/AIDS. She was diagnosed with AIDS in 1986, after the death of her husband and three-year-old daughter within six months of each other. Says Nalls of that time, “When I was diagnosed with HIV, I isolated myself from help and support. I stayed in self-imposed exile for several years before I realized I wasn’t dying, and I wasn’t living either. And living with HIV is what I had to do for my children’s sake and mine.”After years of frustration at not finding appropriate services and support for women, girls their families she founded The Women’s Collective (TWC), a leading community health and human service agency in Washington, DC that provides culturally competent, girl and woman- focused, family-centered HIV/STD services, this includes education and, care, support, and advocacy services. The mission of TWC is simple and powerful—to empower women, girls and their families with the skills and linkages to meet their self-defined needs, increase their access to care and support, and engage them-where they are-to ‘own’ their health outcomes, quality of life, and protect their rights.